Part I: Art. 1, ff. 1-126 [contemporary foliation
1-131 skips from f. 54 to f. 56 and from f. 76 to f. 78 with no loss of text].
Watermarks: ff. 1-36 similar to Briquet Cloche 3967; ff. 37-126, similar to
Briquet Corne 4532, written space 189 x 144 mm. Two columns, ca. 32 to 42 lines.
Single vertical and horizontal bounding lines in ink. I-III12, VI12
(-11 and-12), V12 (-1), VI-XI12. Horizontal catchwords
near gutter on both the verso of the final leaf of the first quire and the recto
of the first leaf of the following quire. Written by two scribes in a gothic
cursive above the top line; the first scribe from f. 1r through f. 42r; the
second scribe from f. 42v to the end. Pricking visible in top and bottom margin.
Inelegant initials throughout: illuminated initial f. 1r, 7-line, in red and
blue. Other initials, 3- to 6-line in red, some with extensions and/or more
elaborate patterning, such as red stripes or dots against the white paper. Headings
and punctuation in red. From f. 112 through f. 126 spaces for initials left
unfilled.

Art. 2, ff. 127r-128v [no foliation] Written
space 239 x 188 mm. f. 127r, three columns; ff. 127v-128v, two columns; no bounding
lines or ruling. Written by a third scribe in a gothic cursive.

Part II: Art. 3, ff. 130r-228r [contemporary foliation
1r-99r] (Watermarks: ff. 130-154 similar to Briquet Cloche 3967; ff. 156-228
similar to Briquet Tête de Boeuf 14712) written space 219 x 145 mm. Two
columns, 42 to 45 lines. Single vertical and horizontal bounding lines in ink.
I-VIII12, IX6 (-6). Horizontal catchwords near gutter,
verso, most of which have been lost through trimming. Pricking visible in top
and bottom margin. Written by the second scribe as in art. 1, in a secretary
hand above the top line. Spaces for initials left unfilled. Some marginal notation
added in a later hand. Art. 4, ff. 228v-229r [no foliation], written
space 241 x 184 mm. Two columns. Written text ignores vertical and horizontal
bounding lines. Written by the same scribe as in art. 2, in a secretary hand.

Binding: Original binding of pigskin over wooden boards;
five bosses on both front and back, now missing, remnants of two leather straps
on back cover. Paper strip with title on front upper cover: "Alberdine Magnus"
still visible, excessive wear has made the rest of the writing on this strip
illegible. On back cover, in ink: "Albertus Magnus". Covers lined with parchment
leaves from liturgical books with musical notations. Black tooled on spine:
"Albertus/Magnus/de/laudibus/Glorio/Virginis//Nicolai/Opus/Mysticum/de/Theologia
" At bottom: "MS. 1438."

Written in Germany before 1438. The colophons at end
of arts. 2 and 4 indicate that the text belonged to Georgius Ruch "pro tunc
plebanus in lutrien, possessor libri presentis." That he subsequently gave the
text away is suggested by an inscription on the inside of the front cover: "Hunc
librum... dedit dominus Georgius Ruch, orate pro eo." Early provenance otherwise
unknown. Ownership inscription on inside cover: "Francis Cobbe/ Trinity College/
Aug. 1841." Bookplate of John A. Murphy. Two unidentified catalogue entries,
one manuscript, one printed. Bought from Maggs by Howard L. Goodhart (bookplate),
April 8, 1949, and presented by him to Bryn Mawr College, Nov. 1951.